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Sirenia
Sirenia, Sirenian for singular, are the generalized name for the three aquatic races that live in the waters in and around Valmasia. Each have different magical abilities and disadvantages. A Sirenian must specialize in magics they have bonuses in, save for sound, and cannot learn magics they are weak against. Full mastery of sound magic is not needed, but all Sirenia are beautiful singers. As a quick cheat sheet, these are the following stat bonus and debuffs that each Sirenia race gets: * Mermaid Mage: Decreases in fire and lightning defense by 10, increases in water, sound and wind defense by 10. * Anguill Mage: Decreases in fire and earth defense by 10, increases in water, sound and lightning defense by 10. * Selkie Mage: Decreases in fire and holy defense by 10, increases in water, sound and darkness defense by 10. For the Sirenia, they are often raised in situations where the idea of being eaten by something bigger is not uncommon. It is not that they are feral, but more emotionally detached from the concept of forming friendships or missing those who have died or vanished. They also have no qualms about eating the meat of any land based species, as meat is meat and they love meat. However cannibalism against other Sirenia is just plain wrong. Subspecies Each of the Sirenia is born with a 'water spirit'. They are viewed as their own personal guardian angel, and the Sirenian takes on personal and physical traits of the animal they match. Although they can sometimes manifest representations of their spirit via their magic, communication is purely done emotionally rather then through words. It is very similar to how cosmic magi have stars and can bond with them. All Sirenia can mate with other Sirenia, but not with other species. The subspecies often match those of the mother. Due to physical differences between their land and water forms, a Sirenian cannot breed with any other species as they have to be in their true form to do it. As for physical traits, all Sirenia have fragile sharp teeth that are serrated. It is not uncommon for teeth to break and grow back again within a few weeks. Molars do not develop until a Sirenian enters their mid-teens, and do not grow back like the rest of their teeth if broken. A Sirenian may choose to either cut raw meat into strips or unhinge their jaws to open their throat space to swallow it whole until then in order to work around their inability to chew. They need a heavy meat diet to survive, and things such as to many vegetables or desserts can make them ill. Although their 'human' forms are all very similar, it can be easy to tell the difference as each subspecies has subtle cues. Sirenian blood is green and thick. It has a more coppery taste to it then regular blood. Recovery rate is higher for the Sirenia, healing a quarter to a third quicker than humans. However injuries from fire and other magics they are weak to have double the recovery rate. Their skin color ranges from pale grey, to greenish yellow, to blue, to very dark. Although quite varied in color, it always has a hint of unnaturalness to those who normally live on land. Mermaids Children of Galene. The most common of the Sirenia. They take on aspects of any type of fish, such as sharks, flying fish, tuna, that sort of thing. Mermaids are often the most social of the species, choosing to live off of coastal cities. They have translucent skin that has a greenish quality to it. Gills along either side of the neck, and ears are either pointed or in the shape of fins. Either or both fingers and toes are webbed. Their hair often has strange but bright coloration as well, which matches the color of their tails. Anguill Children of Scylla. Sirenia that usually live in the deep sea. Their aspects are varied between eels, sea snakes, and in rarer cases, sea slugs. Their tails are long and flexible rather then finned. Their eyes are sometimes a little fair apart, and their skin seems clammy, a little sticky and somewhat moist. They also have very thin lips but wide mouths, with their ears are often smaller and more rounded than a humans. They also have longer and broader noses then most as well. Selkie Children of Leucothea. Nearly all Selkie live inland, in rivers and mainly the swamp. Their creatures are of aquatic mammal nature, seals, otters, walruses, manatee. Sea Selkie often have traits of orcas or dolphins, and are the rarest of all Sirenia. They are considered blessed holy creatures personally chosen by the gods. They also are the only Sirenia who cannot breathe underwater. Their nails are colored black or a dark hue and very thick, with fur around the fingers, hands, and feet. Eye coloration tends to be pitch black, and their eyes have a glassy tone to them. Busy eyebrows and beards are also common. Those with whale spirits do not have any fur or hairy traits at all, but are prone to having annoying laughs. They blessed ones are also supposedly the most beautiful of the Sirenia as well. Their gift for dark magic is believed to have been formed when Leucothea drowned in the sea after her gift of water breathing was taken away. Her despair was so great, all of her children were affected. The gift of occult for them is the gathering of energies formed by her grief. Spell List Like many other races, Sirenia have their own racial abilities. Certain types of magic are more difficult for them to learn while others outside of their specialties are more difficult. They also can never learn magics outside of their abilities. Mermaids will never know lightning, Anguil can never master earth, and Selkie will never wield holy. All Sirenia can never use the power of fire. Reverence, Grace, Beauty The mother spirits give their blessings on their children. This is a free spell that grants the Sirenia their elemental specialties and weaknesses. Oceanic Attunement The Sirenian momentarily gains a large boost to the effectiveness of their elemental magical specialties. A boon for magi among the race. Manifest Water Spirit Call upon your water spirit to assist you in battle. The spirit is unable to attack, but instead works to heal its partner during a fight. Society Water Spirit As stated previously, the water spirit is an entity that is born and dies with the Sirenia. It is similar to a summon spirit, however it has its own mana circuitry. They often choose to be invisible, or show themselves using magics that the Sirenia is familiar with. Such as a Mermaid's spirit might be made of water, or a Selkie's made of dark magic. The animal that is born with a Sirenia is not related to anything other then species. However the type of spirit you have can greatly affect your place in society. Those with more powerful animals like sharks are expected to take positions in the military, and those with more intelligent such as octopus are expected to be scholars. Smaller animal spirits are considered to be useless, it is not uncommon for parents to abandon children who might be weak as a result of their spirit affinity. Water spirits play a vital roll in the coming of age ceremony for Sirenia. The Sirenian sings for their spirit and asks them for more strength. In serious cases, they may choose to attempt to strengthen their relationship further by binding their mana circuits together. However this can be a dangerous process and requires a channeling stone to help focus the spirit's energies. Spirits are practically invulnerable to all magics except those that directly harm the soul. Using such magic to destroy the spirit will kill the Sirenian as well. Relationships and Mating Mating is often used for procreation of children rather then for fun or enjoyment. Breeding can only occur in the water when both Sirenia are in their true form. Pregnancy lasts about three months, before the female births an egg casing. The fetus will continue to grow within the casing for another six months before hatching. They need to remain in water for the majority of this time to prevent drying out. Because of this process, Sirenia cannot mate outside of their species. Due to the fickle nature of breeding, marriage is practically non-existent among the Sirenia race. Although courtships can happen, it is often for fun rather then for lifetime commitments. Names Although any Sirenian may choose to have a last name, it is not a part of their family structure. Thus any last names tend to be over the top and extravagant, not always passed on to any children they choose to have. Instead, a name of a child is traditionally a mesh of the two parent names. Example, Zaniyah being a construct of Zabor and Galniyah. Those whose parents do not wish to pass their names on often have single or double syllable names, like Rise. Homelands Sirenia once lived in large cities beneath the sea, full to the brim with all three species. However, the plague struck the Sirenia incredibly hard. Nearly all cities fell as they found themselves mutating to the mercy of the disease. Due to a lack of written language among the race, there is no record of the names of these once great cities. Therefore, these ruins of one great Sirenia Civilizations are now referred to as 'Plague Waters'. They're considered highly dangerous places where plague beasts still lurk. While many would believe that the Sirenia simply separated and decided to live alone, that isn't exactly the case. Since the time of the plague, smaller kingdoms within the ocean have risen. The numbers of their population remain low, of roughly ten thousand, out of fear that the plague will strike once more due to the large numbers. Without flashy names, these kingdoms are referred to in numbers(The First Sea, The Second Sea, etc), and there are believed to be at least 4 small kingdoms. While many kingdoms prefer for their citizens to be of the same species, certain kingdoms(such as the Third Sea) allow for group living, welcoming all species of Sirenia to live within their waters. Sirenian settlements underwater in the modern day tend to be small, if designed more for storage than residence. Hunter-gatherers at heart in a constantly dangerous environment. Much crafting is exceptionally difficult to make and hard to maintain in the depths of the waters, and for the most part, and so what structures exist since the plague are more often storehouses for tools and relics, usually based around shrines to the original sisters or their revered spirits, where a small amount of caretakers more permanently abide. The majority of the population moves in circles through these regions, following migrating fish and similar cycles. Selkies, often being apart from other mer, have small, close knit villages near the shores and marshes of Valmasia. Usually, their numbers in these regions are perhaps two or three extended families strong. There is also a clan home for them existing in Tilandre, offering a comfortable atmosphere for those who seek to build a life on land in Valmasia. Transformation The Sirenia were given the gift to walk on land by Yama, but it is not a gift to be abused. Sirenia must return to their natural form once every few days. Children must do so daily. Otherwise they start to lose their connection with their water spirit, weakening, and eventually dying. They can only return to their true form when partially or fully submerged within water. They also have trouble stopping themselves from transforming when put under these conditions, though high level Sirenia (rpl 150+) can hold off transforming for a fight or two, but must eventually must transform as well. Magic mastery seems to be a get around for fighting while transformed, moving about with the aide of it, however they are often put at a disadvantage when fighting on land versus the water. Sudden and unexpected transformation is rather painful and can lead to the Sirenian being stunned for a few minutes from the shock alone. Although they can transform quickly by exposing themselves, it often takes some mental preparation to prevent a sudden physical ceasing. Gaining legs is a slow process, as moisture must be removed from the person either with magic or by drying. It can take up to an hour to gain motor functions on land again, and even then they are a bit wobbly at first. Their human bodies, despite subtle differences, are near identical to human ones. Anything that is worn over the legs, underwear, pants, shoes, can tear through the flesh as it reforms into a tail. Thus most Sirenia choose to wear dresses or skirts. Footwear is usually sandals that have straps that easily snap apart to prevent such injuries. Religion Nearly all Sirenia worship Yama as their deity, though festivals to Leucothea, Scylla, and Galene are often held by their respected tribes. Priests of Yama are known to sacrifice their enemies or volunteers to the deity. The ritual forces the victim's soul to travel to Yama where they must help him gather stones and weigh the sins of others for a hundred years before they can rejoin the lifestream. They do this to ease Yama's workload and so he is never lonely. It is a simple ritual that involves singing the song of Yama as the living heart is carved out of the body, before being swallowed whole while it still beats. There is no strong concept of marriage for Sirenia. (No that does not mean that they go around sleeping with everyone). However birthing religious rights are considered to be very important. A thanks is made to the water spirit born with the child, and a blessing is asked of the Mother deity of the Mermaid, Anguill, or Selkie born. Burial rights are also nearly non-existent. Often it is just a song that asks for the stones Yama uses to weigh the sins of that who has passed are light in weight. As there is no written word or records for Sirenia, their religion can be summarized with a single story that is passed on to every child at a very young age to memorize. The Story of Inki and Yama In the beginning, Kraus granted parts of the world to be crafted to lesser dieties into whatever it was their desired. Among them was the whale Inki, who looked down at the flat land and saw what could be. He dug his tail into the ground and created mountains and valleys. His brother, Yama, who had been granted the same space, mocked his efforts but Inki continued until his world was shaped. But there was still nothing. Just mounds of mud and holes in the earth. Tired and worn, Inki laid in a trench and cried. Years passed, and eventually his tears flooded over him to create the oceans and seas. Yet he was still lonely so he gathered the salt of his tears mixed with mud and formed life. Nearly all creatures of the water are of Inki's design. Yama came to mock him again. His brother had spent most of his energy to craft such useless things and still felt nothing but pain and suffering. So he in turn took the salt and the mud and crafted a creature that somewhat bared their image, the Selkie. The first of the Sirenia, named Leucothea who was gifted with an ivory porpoise tail. A creature with a beautiful voice who could sing away any worries that Inki felt. But all he felt was jealousy. Inki fled to the land and created the lakes and the rivers, and the creatures that live in them. Yet he was unable to create anything that sung as beautifully as Leucothea. Meanwhile, Yama created the first Anguill, Scylla, and the first Mermaid, Galene, so that Leucothea would not feel lonely. And he gifted them each with their own water spirit so that they will always know he loved them. While Yama enjoyed his time in the seas, Inki began to grow jealous. The seas he loved had been overrun by the children of Leucothea, Scylla, and Galene, and the lands had been overtaken by other gods. Even though he had helped craft the world through his body, he found no place for himself in it. In short, his wrath was turned on Yama, the one who mocked him and stole his place as a worshiped deity. Inki traveled to the land and convinced those there to rage war with the sea. The land creatures built boats and poisoned the waters, the Sirenia in return sunk the boats and poisoned the water on the land. Yama gifted his creations with the ability to walk on land to attack the people there. In return Inki captured Leucothea, most loved by Yama, and her children. He robbed them of their ability to breathe underwater so they could never return to their true home. Inki then altered their forms to grow fur so they more closely resembled the land creatures they had grown to hate. Leucothea blamed herself for what had come to pass. She attempted to return to the ocean to seek out Yama, but drowned in her attempts. Scylla took her Anguill and fled to the deepest parts of the ocean to hide out of fear of something similar happening to them, and only Galene with her Mermaids remained to fight at Yama's side. Yama succeeded with negotiating with the land gods to stop the war, greatly pained by what had happened to Leucothea. He challenged Inki to one on one combat. Inki agreed, resulting in a giant storm that plagued the oceans for many years. It is said Kraus harnessed the power of the storms to create the peace barriers that lay between each continent. In the end, Yama was triumphant. However Inki had anticipated such and destroyed himself casting a terrible curse that launched Yama into Atmos where he could only meet again with his beloved creations in death. It is said he guards the coral gates that all Sirenia must pass before they go to meet Azrael, and gathers stones for which to weigh the sins of all life with. Yama's GiftsCategory:Race As their creator, Yama loved his children very much. He showed his love with gifts, giving them Water Spirits so they would never be alone. These water spirits were not the only gift given to the Sirenia by Yama, though. Legend states that Yama created several objects as gifts for the original three Sirenia. However, knowledge of these objects and what they are is not common knowledge. There are several relics said to be wielded by the various tribe wielders. Galene's Trident After the loss of Leucothea, Yama had no time to grieve, and was forced to confront his enemies on land. Out of fear of what Inki might do to her, Scylla took her Anguil and fled. Galene and her mermaids stood beside Yama, among a handful of other tribes, and for this, they were rewarded. Out of unknown metals, Yama crafted a trident that amplified the wielder's magical ability, giving it to Galene as a way to protect herself, and her children. Current Wielder: Avalon Titania